Spitfires, Mustangs, Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulfs had before radars aka “Fat dot system” on Burning Skies Server. Recently these markers were removed from the server and big dispute started on DCS forum (Russian language part).
Interestingly, that most complaints received from pilots of Me-109 and Fw-190. They claimed that now is too easy intercept and down Allies’ fighters. They explain by that it’s very easy to detected Spitfires or Mustangs from below (on the background of the sky) then catch them up and kill. It was told Allies have no chances because Axis planes have better rate of climb and speed.
I would say that in the beginning of flights on Burning Skies Server, our group had tactical problems including lack of monitoring “low and high 6” but they were resolved very fast and losses dramatically dropped.
I forgot to say our group took a pause about BS server for this reason. But we couldn’t stand in front of CHANGES AND THE DISPUTES. So we decided to check what is going on there.
Well, Red October and me decided to fly and test the changes. Red October took P-51 and I took Spitfire and we chose altitude of 6000ft that “Germans” could easily detect us, catch up and kill… At the first, we headed to enemy ground targets where big smoke is. Nobody found us as well as we didn’t find anyone. Then a message appeared that our ground forces under attack. We immediately flew there on the same altitude. During approaching the area where our ground forces are we detected a contact which popped up – a plane vertically climbed possible after attack. It was Me-109 and he also detected us and attacked Red October. Dog fight is started… At the end he tore off Red October’s wing and I downed the enemy. After the fight I successfully returned our base and we analyzed all flight in tacview.
We found out that there were 3 Me-109s and one Fw-190 in that area. During the dogfight with one Me-109, nobody came help him. Two other Me-109 were busy with ground attack. The distance to them was up to 5 km. Sometime one of them closed to the dogfight at the distance 2 km, but he was on altitude of 300 m. Fw-190 left and bypassed us on the (our) left side within distance of 5 km. If there were old fat markers that the dogfight would attract other enemies. Two Me-109s and Fw-190 just didn’t see us due to the distance.
After I killed the Me-109 I passed over another Me-109 within 600m and the enemy didn’t react.
Another interesting thing, we found that both sides were quite organized! There was a group Me-109s and they together attacked our ground forces. There were three groups of Allies by two fighters – they all were in formation (we were on 1800m, 2nd P-51 group – 2000m, 3rd P-51 group – 300m).
It is nice to see such organized flights on the server isn’t it? Bravo! It seems Eekz will teach the people how to be organized…
SOME THOUGHTS:
- This flight showed that it is not very easy to detect a contact from below as was told. It is difficult to say about exact distance but I can detect a contact when I know where is it and when it’s in range up to 700-800m. But when contact is over the ground of the earth the distance of detection is decreases to ~200-300 m or even less (depends of the color of the earth).
- Now it is more difficult to detect contacts against the background of the earth. For this reason previous tactic of Me-109 and Fw-190 “Dropping to 6 from space” is not working here.
- Before Me-109 and Fw-190 could quit from an attack vertically up without any worries to loose the enemy because the radar “Fat dot system” provided perfect detection. Now this ability is limited – they can easy to lose potential victim.
- Now if a Me-109 or Fw-190 cought you up on low-level altitude he has less initiative in dogfight because new condition force to keep shorter distance of fighting.
- Quitting a dog fight by diving before was exclusive only for Fw-190s and Me-109s but now Spitfires and Mustangs have chance to dive and quit on the background of the earth (as it was during World War II).
- We should be more accurate to fly in formation because it is very easy to lose your wingman or leader.
WELL, WHO HAS MORE BENEFITS AFTER REMOVING “RADARS”?